Hot off the Press

Our regular column on plays that have recently become available for licensing focuses in this issue on works with prominent roles for younger actors.

by Zackary Ross

As a director in a university theatre program, I frequently cast teenagers or early 20-somethings in far more adult roles. However, I’m always looking for plays that place younger characters at the center of the action to give my students an opportunity to explore roles closer to their own age and experience. What follows is a collection of plays that feature prominent roles for younger actors. To develop the list of suggested titles, we surveyed major play publishers’ offerings during the last few years. After each description, you’ll find information about the cast breakdown and a referral to the publisher who holds the rights.

Teenage Zuri must navigate life on a small island in the Caribbean prior to the Civil War as a mixed-race slave. Her multiple identities create conflict for her. Neither white nor Black and not quite an adult but also no longer a child, Zuri finds herself in dangerous circumstances in this emotionally charged piece of AfroSurrealism. Cast breakdown: 4 women (2 Black/ African descent, 2 white/European descent); 1 man (white/European descent) Publisher: Broadway Play Publishing, Inc. www.broadwayplaypub.com

Fourteen-year-old Ruffrino Witherspoon is angry. His father is serving a life sentence in prison, his mother is a poorly paid maid to white families, and his grandfather doesn’t respect his militant attitude and the rage he feels toward the police and white culture. As his anger boils over, Ruffrino becomes the cause of riots at his school. The play is a compelling account of what it means to grow up Black in the U.S. in the age of the Black Lives Matter movement. Cast breakdown: 2 women (1 Black/ African descent, 1 white/European descent); 3 men (2 Black/African descent, 1 white/European descent) Publisher: Concord Theatricals www.concordtheatricals.com

In the treehouse where they share their teenage hopes and dreams, a group of girls gathers to summon the spirit of cartel kingpin Pablo Escobar. In this play full of dark and twisty surprises, the girls bond and battle with each other as they navigate the highs and lows of girlhood. Cast breakdown: 5 women (2 Latinx descent, 2 white/European descent, 1 Black/African descent,); 1 man (Latinx descent) Publisher: Concord Theatricals www.concordtheatricals.com n

Zackary Ross (he/him) is an associate professor of theatre and the arts administration program director at Bellarmine University in Louisville, KY. He is a member of the Southern Theatre Editorial Board.

Theatre s o u t h e r n

EDITOR Deanna Thompson

SETC EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Susie Prueter

SETC EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR EMERITUS Betsey Horth

Clay Thornton, clay@setc.org

Southeastern Theatre Conference 5710 W. Gate City Blvd., Suite K, Box 186 Greensboro, NC 27407 336-265-6148

Laura King, Chair, Independent Theatre Artist (GA) Becky Becker, Clemson University (SC) Jennifer Goff, Centre College (KY) Gaye Jeffers, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Ricky Ramón, Howard University (DC) Derrick Vanmeter, Clayton State University (GA)

Tom Alsip, University of New Hampshire Keith Arthur Bolden, Spelman College (GA) Amy Cuomo, University of West Georgia F. Randy deCelle, University of Alabama Kristopher Geddie, Venice Theatre (FL) David Glenn, Samford University (AL) Scott Hayes, Liberty University (VA) Edward Journey, Independent Artist/Consultant (AL) Stefanie Maiya Lehmann, Lincoln Center (NY) Sarah McCarroll, Georgia Southern University Tiffany Dupont Novak, Actors Theatre of Louisville (KY) Thomas Rodman, Alabama State University Zackary Ross, Bellarmine University (KY) Jonathon Taylor, East Tennessee State University Chalethia Williams, Miles College (AL) Student Member: Chris Cates, Wake Forest University (NC)

Catherine Clifton, Freelance Copy Editor (NC) Denise Halbach, Independent Theatre Artist (MS) Philip G. Hill, Furman University (SC)

Salem One, Inc., Winston-Salem, NC

Southern Theatre welcomes submissions of articles pertaining to all aspects of theatre. Preference will be given to subject matter linked to theatre activity in the Southeastern United States. Articles are evaluated by the editor and members of the Editorial Board. Criteria for evaluation include: suitability, clarity, significance, depth of treatment and accuracy. Please query the editor via email before sending articles. Stories should not exceed 3,000 words. Color photos (300 dpi in .jpeg or .tiff format) and a brief identification of the author should accompany all articles. Send queries and stories to: deanna@setc.org. Southern Theatre (ISSNL: 0584-4738) is published three times a year by the Southeastern Theatre Conference, Inc., a nonprofit organization, for its membership and others interested in theatre. Copyright © 2022 by Southeastern Theatre Conference, Inc., 5710 W. Gate City Blvd., Suite K, Box 186, Greensboro, NC 27407. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without permission is prohibited. Subscription rates: $24.50 per year, U.S.; $30.50 per year, Canada; $188 per year, International. Single copies: $8, plus shipping.

SSpring is often thought of as a time of renewal in our hemisphere, and I think we saw that in full force at the 2022 SETC Convention in Memphis. One night, the last bit of winter blanketed the city streets with snow, while inside the warmth was palpable as we came together and shared memories two years old alongside lessons learned and time lost. In this issue of Southern Theatre, we share inspiring messages from our 2022 convention keynote speakers who renewed our passion for theatre of all kinds. We start with Norm Lewis, the Tony, Emmy, Grammy, and Screen Actors

Guild Award nominee who was SETC’s Saturday keynote speaker and 2022

Distinguished Career Award recipient. Gaye Jeffers details Lewis’ career highlights, including his role as the first African American “Phantom” on Broadway.

She also shares his thoughts on a variety of topics, including his return to the

Broadway stage in fall 2021. If you’ve ever wanted to know more about the job of a Broadway producer, you’ll want to read Amy Cuomo’s story about Friday keynote speaker Sally

Cade Holmes, who produced two recent Tony Award winners: The Inheritance and Hadestown. Holmes, who grew up in South Carolina, discusses her path to Broadway, details the role of a producer, and offers her vision of how the pandemic will have an impact on the future of theatre. Sound designer, disability rights activist, and Emmy-nominated filmmaker

Jim LeBrecht brought his compelling story to the SETC Convention via a virtual keynote on Thursday. Johannah Maynard Edwards shares LeBrecht’s thoughts on a variety of topics, including how his experiences at a camp for kids with disabilities led to the award-winning documentary Crip Camp, and why inclusivity – not just accessibility – is vital. Inclusivity was also the focus of SETC’s 17th annual Teachers Institute, which brought together four presenters to offer advice for teachers on diversifying their classrooms and helping students create their own stories that resonate. Elizabeth

Watkins summarizes the advice given by the presenters in the all-day workshop. We were honored to have three distinguished designers adjudicate the annual

Design Competition this year: Narelle Sissons, Oana Botez, and María-Cristina

Fusté. Jonathon Taylor outlines the advice they provided for emerging designers in their convention keynote and in interviews with Southern Theatre. We also celebrate the 2022 winner of the Suzanne M. Davis Memorial Award,

Tiza Garland. Our “Hot off the Press” column looks at new plays with characters near college age. “Outside the Box” outlines a new spatter paint technique, and

“Words, Words, Words …” reviews a book that explores Luis Valdez’s methods.

Finally, we share abstracts from SETC’s Young Scholars Award winners. This time last year, my wish was for a “more accessible, more inclusive, more equitable, and more empathetic” theatre world as we were working in pandemic conditions. As we continue to renew our theatrical community, may these stories keep us on that path.